Retro hair dryer

ABSTRACT

A hair dryer has a removable filter cover and filter to make it easy to clean the hair dryer and minimize the accumulation of lint and the like. The hair dryer also has control switches on the body of the hair dryer rather than the handle to minimize inadvertent contact with the switches by a user during use of the hair dryer. The hair dryer also includes a diffuser, which is designed to be securely and removably attachable to the outlet end of the hair dryer.

This application claims priority under 35 USC 119(e) from provisional patent application no. 61/982,621, filed on Apr. 22, 2014

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to a hair dryer having a control switch on the body of the hair dryer and a removable filter arrangement.

BACKGROUND ART

Currently-available hairdryers only provide control switches on the gripping handle. This creates a problem of interrupting the dryer's function and accidentally shutting off of the dryer. The vent screen and filter are often quite difficult to clean on hair dryers, which is a safety hazard. Currently-available hair dryers have unsecure diffuser attachments and can fall off while in use.

Hair dryers are well known in the prior art. One type of hair dryer comprises touch screen control buttons that are located on the upper surface of the dryer. Another hair dryer comprises a removable lint screen. The prior art devices, however, fail to provide a portable hair dryer that includes control buttons on the main body, and further does not includes a removable lint filter.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The invention is directed to an improved hair dryer. One embodiment is a hair dryer having a removable lint screen and filter is provided. More particularly, the hair dryer housing having a plurality of control switches or buttons located on the body of the housing, rather than the handle, a cooling button located on the handle, the removable lint filter and screen, and a secured diffuser attachment.

The altered position of the switches helps to ensure that users do not accidentally turn off the hair dryer when in use, whereas the location of the cooling button allows users to quickly drop the temperature of the air being released from the device when it becomes too hot.

The vent filter and screen are freely removable, allowing users to fully clean them without being forced to take the entire housing apart. Furthermore, the electrical cord extending from the device has a test/reset button to enhance safety.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of one embodiment of the inventive hair dryer.

FIG. 2 shows a perspective view of the hair dryer of FIG. 1 with the filter cover and filter removed to show more detail.

FIG. 3 shows a perspective view of the control switches on the housing of the hair dryer of FIG. 1.

FIGS. 4A and 4B show one type of threaded connection for the hair dryer of FIG. 1.

FIGS. 5A and 5B show another type of threaded connection for the hair dryer of FIG. 1.

FIGS. 6A and 6B show another type of filter cover and filter.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring now to FIG. 1, the hair dryer is designated by the reference numeral 10. The hair dryer 10 includes a hair dryer body 1 and a handle 3 that extends from the housing to allow the hair dryer to be gripped and manipulated by a user.

The hair dryer body has an inlet 4 and an outlet 5. The inlet 4 includes a filter cover 7, and a filter (not shown in FIG. 1) and the filter aspect of the hair dryer is discussed below. Referring to FIG. 2, the hair dryer can include an attachment such as a diffuser 8 and has an electrical cord 11 extending from the handle 3 to power the hair dryer. The electrical cord 11 can have a test/reset feature 13 for safety purposes.

The housing includes a switch assembly 15, which includes a plurality of control switches or buttons. While the switch assembly 15 can be located anywhere on the body 1, it is preferably located on a top or upper portion of the body 1 nearer to the handle and is described below in connection with FIG. 3.

Still referring to FIG. 1, a cooling button 17 can be located on the handle of the hair dryer so that it can be quickly and conveniently pressed when in use, without interrupting the airflow from the hair dryer. The cooling button would de-energize the heating function of the hair dryer, if on, so that just room temperature air would be used on a customer's hair. Since such a power deactivating switch is well known in the art, a further description is not necessary for understanding of this aspect of the invention.

The diffuser 8 may be replaced with a variety of attachments that are securely affixable to the housing, including the diffuser. The attachments are threaded and can be secured to a threaded end of the hairdryer for secure attachment thereto.

The body 1 houses internal components of the hair dryer, including the ionic, tourmaline, and ceramic heating coils and the appropriate conductive wiring. As these parts of a hair dryer are well known, there is no need for a more detailed description of the components within the body 1 for understanding of the invention.

While the handle 3 can have any shape, it may further comprise a rubber grip 19, see FIG. 1, to assist the hair dryer user.

Referring now to FIG. 2, the hair dryer 10 is shown with the filter cover 7 and a filter or vent screen 21 removed from the hair dryer 10. The filter cover 7 is vented with vents 23 to allow air to be pulled into the hair dryer for operation. Preferably, the filter cover 7 and filter 21 are located on the back portion of the body 1 and are freely removable therefrom in order to make both the filter cover 7 and filter 21 easy to clean. This provides an advantage as conventional hair dryers require that the user completely take apart the housing or body to clean the interior surface of the filter. Because letting lint and other particles collect on the filter can create a safety risk, it is particularly advantageous of the inventive hair dryer to make the filter cover and the filter cleaning easy.

Referring now to FIG. 3, the switch assembly 15 is shown in more detail. The control switches are located on the body of the hair dryer, rather than the handle, so that users do not unintentionally depress the switches. The switch assembly 15 is shown with one control switch 25 that provides users with the options to set the device to various temperature settings such as “off” “low” and “high”. In FIG. 3, H, W, C represents hot, warm, and cool. Although the control switch is shown to have at least three temperature settings, more or less than this can also be employed.

Users often unintentionally activate or deactivate their hair dryer because conventional hair dryers have the temperature buttons located in a non-ideal position on the handle, near where the user is gripping the handle. With the temperature control switch on the body and away from the handle, this unintentional contact with the switch is avoided.

The switch assembly 15 also includes a control switch 27, which is a power switch to control the operation of the hair dryer. The control switch is also on the body 1 of the hair dryer to avoid inadvertent switching off of the hair dryer during use.

FIGS. 4A and 4B shows an example of a threaded connection between the diffuser 8 and the outlet 5 of the body 1 of the hair dryer 10. A portion of an end 31 of the body 1 is shown with a spiral thread 33 on the surface 35 of the end 31. An end portion 37 of the diffuser 8 is shown with an internal spiral thread 39 on an inner surface 40 of the end portion 37. Twisting of the diffuser end portion 37 onto the end 31 of the body allows the spiral threads 33 and 39 to engage and keep the diffuser 8 from disengaging from the body end 31.

FIGS. 5A and 5B show an alternative threaded design for the diffuser and body. FIG. 5A shows a diffuser 41 with a pair of tabs 43. Each tab is sized to engage the slot 45 in the outer surface of the end 47 of the body 1 and further engage the spiral slot 49 for attachment purposes.

FIGS. 6A and 6B show an alternative design for the filter cover and filter. The filter 51 has a semi-spherical shape with slots 53 to allow air flow but prevent unwanted material to enter the body of the hair dryer. A tab 55 is used to facilitate attaching the filter to the body of the hair dryer. The tab is just one example and other known fastening techniques can be employed to keep the filter 51 or filter 21 of FIG. 2 in place in the body of the hair dryer. FIG. 6B shows a filter cover 57 with openings 59 to allow air flow. The filter cover 57 or filter cover 7 shown in FIG. 2 can also be attached to the body of the hair dryer in any known fashion, a snap fit, a friction fit, or the like. The filter for the hair dryer can be either a disposable one that is used for so many dryings or until it is dirty and then replaced or a more permanent filter that can be cleaned and reused.

In use, the inventive hair dryer can be used like any conventional hair dryer, with the added benefit of the specially placed switches on the body of the hair dryer and the easy cleaning feature by removing the filter cover and filter.

As such, an invention has been disclosed in terms of preferred embodiments thereof which fulfills each and every one of the objects of the present invention as set forth above and provides a new and improved hair dryer and method of use.

Of course, various changes, modifications and alterations from the teachings of the present invention may be contemplated by those skilled in the art without departing from the intended spirit and scope thereof. It is intended that the present invention only be limited by the terms of the appended claims. 

We claim:
 1. In a hair dryer having a body having an outlet and an inlet, and a handle extending from the body and at least one switch to operate the hair dryer, the improvement comprising: a) a switch assembly for controlling operation of the hair dryer and temperature located on the body of the hair dryer; b) a removable filter cover covering the inlet of the body, and c) a removable filter in the inlet of the body.
 2. The hair dryer of claim 1, further comprising an attachment adapted to connect to the outlet of the body.
 3. The hair dryer of claim 2, wherein the attachment is a diffuser.
 4. The hair dryer of claim 2, wherein the attachment is threadably attached to the outlet.
 5. The hair dryer of claim 1, wherein the switch assembly is located on the body at a top portion thereof.
 6. The hair dryer of claim 1, wherein the top portion is located at an inlet end of the body.
 7. The hair dryer of claim 1, wherein the switch assembly includes a first switch to control temperature and a second switch to control on-off operation of the hair dryer.
 8. The hair dryer of claim 7, wherein the first switch include warm, cold, and hot positions.
 9. The hair dryer of claim 1, further comprising a third switch on the handle, the third switch de-energizing a heating of air by the hair dryer while allowing the hair dryer to continue to blow air through the hair dryer.
 10. In a method of drying hair, the improvement comprising using the hair dryer of claim 1 for said drying. 